The Pink Slip
by Three Caballeros Girl
Summary: Jose Carioca gets called into his boss's office. Jose' hopes it's for a raise but his Boss has another idea and gives him a Pink Slip.


Jose' was stacking cans like normal at Mortimer's Market place. People were browsing aisle after aisle, tugging crying children by the arms, getting distracted by their phones, and costumers arguing over products they had first that the other one didn't have. Jose' sighed as he stepped down from the step stool. "There…" he said to himself triumphantly. "Fifty cans stacked to perfection." Ever since Jose' had started working at the market place he became a well know employee by everyone who shopped there. It wasn't his first choice as a job but, it was a job none the less. He worked hard and had a good time working there. It was a promise he had made to his husband and it was a promise he contended to keep.

"Oh Jose'…." A voice rang out from the speaker overhead. "Could I see you in my office please?"

Jose' smiled widely as he put the step stool away and headed towards his boss's office. "Maybe it's the bonus I've been anticipating for, for three weeks now." He thought cheerfully. A big white rooster with an orange beak and red comb was sweeping the floor as he saw Jose' walk by and chuckled sarcastically. Jose' heard this and rolled his eyes and sighed in irritation. "Oooh! You got called on Ze'!" the rooster said taunting the parrot. Jose' shot him an annoyed glare. "Shut up Ze Galo!" he snarled as he walked to the front of the market and into Mortimer's office.

"Sim Mr. Mortimer, you wanted to see me?" he asked as he closed the door behind him.

"Ah Josie!" Mortimer beamed.

"It's Jose."

Mortimer waved it off. "Whatever, Listen Jacob, you've been working here for many many months and for that I would like to show you my gratitude." He announced.

"Here it comes!" Jose' thought as he was about to explode with happiness.

Mortimer reached into the bottom drawer of his desk as he handed him a pink piece of paper.

Jose' took it with a look of confusion on his face. "Hmmmm….this is an odd looking dollar bill."

Mortimer covered his mouth as he laughed hard. "You don't get it do you? You really don't get it."

Jose's eyes gazed at him. "Get what Mr. Mortimer?"

"You're fired!"

Jose' sank down into the chair behind him as he soaked it all in. "B…but why?" the Brazilian asked with big eyes.

"Look Jamie, don't take it so hard. Things have been tight and so I had to fire someone and I thought of you." He stated bluntly. "Don't look at this as you getting fired, think of it as a very LONG vacation."

Jose' shook his head, his voice filled with worry. "Por favor, don't. I will do anything. I'll work overtime, I…i…I will take night hours. Anything, just please don't take my job away." He begged.

Mortimer stood up as he held out his hand. "I'm sorry Jason but I already have. I'll be taking your name badge." Jose' sighed in defeat as he undid the blue badge from his orange apron and handed it to the taller mouse. "You can keep the apron John, consider it a souvenir." He laughed as he escorted him out of his office. Jose' sighed as he went to the break room and gathered his belongings as he took one last look around before heading towards the exit.

"Bye Jose'!" Ze Galo cackled as the door closed behind the Brazilian parrot.

Jose' held the box close so nothing would fall out as he walked down the sidewalk and turned into a nearby neighborhood a few blocks down. He walked up the driveway to a quaint little baby blue house with a red shingled roof. The windows on the second floor were decorated with yellow daisies that withered a bit. They seemed to be saying "not again Jose'." A peace, love, and Disney sign hanged from the yellow front door, a gift from his friend Mickey on his 50th birthday. The parrot unlocked the door and slipped inside as he closed it behind him.

"Mi amor! You're back!" the voice boasted happily.

Soft Spanish music filled the air as a rooster stepped out of the kitchen, his pink jacket covered with bits of flour, wearing no shirt underneath. His matching pants were a little wet but it didn't bother him. His red comb stuck out a bit from under the chef's hat he wore.

"Ola Panchito." Jose' expressed sadly as he took off his apron and hung it up on the worn out, brown coat rack.

"I have dinner ready Jose'." Panchito smiled. "I am trying something new and so I have made pizza! The crust is a bit burned but I think it will still be good."

Jose' looked at the Mexican a bit as he nodded a bit. "G…good mue amor. Good."

Panchito smiled and nodded with a little "Hmm" as he headed back into the kitchen to set the table. As soon as that was done he poked his head out from the kitchen. "We are ready to eat."

Jose' looked down a bit as he set his umbrella down on the coffee table and headed slowly headed upstairs. "I'm not hungry right now." He said.

"Oh…well at least tell me how work went today." The rooster asked but his words fell on deaf ears and the sound of a closing door. "Jose'…" Panchito exclaimed as he went upstairs after the Brazilian. He walked down the hall and knocked on the bedroom door as he opened it slightly.

"Mi amor…..it's me." He said softly.

Jose' sighed a little before saying "Come in."

Panchito opened the door to see his lover before him sitting on the bed, looking down with sadden eyes.

Panchito walked toward him and took off his hat as he took a seat beside Jose'.

"What's wrong? You are so cheerful and as Donald would say…upbeat. Please tell me."

Jose' continued to look down avoiding the rooster's eyes.

"Do I need to hurt anyone?" Panchito asked.

Jose' laughed a little.

"Made you laugh." Panchito said smugly. "Now could you please tell me why you are down?"

"It's just…" Jose' started. "I feel like I failed you."

Panchito looked at Jose with wide eyes. "Fail me?"

Jose' nodded. "I got a pink slip Panchito, and it wasn't the good kind. I have tried so hard to get so many jobs and just this month, this the 5th one I get fired from. I want to pitch in and help out with everything, but money is tight and me finding a job is gonna help with all of that. But I can't do this if I keep getting fired. I feel like I'm not doing enough, that I can't do anything no matter how hard I try." He sighed as he buried his face in his hands.

Panchito looked at Jose' for a moment before wrapping his arms around him.

"Hey, you could never fail me. Ok? You could never fail me."

Jose' looked up at his husband. "But my job…"

"Jobs will come and jobs will go mi amor. But one thing remains, and that is you'll always be here to help. And do not worry about pitching in and helping out. You're doing enough right now just by being here. We'll get through this and everything will be fine."

Jose' smiled as he hugged him. "What did I do to deserve you?" Panchito shrugged jokingly and beamed. "My question is how have you put up with me for this long?" The birds laughed as Panchito patted Jose's shoulder and stood up. "Well the pizza is ready and I do not think it is going to eat itself." Jose' got up off the bed with a groan as he headed out the door with Panchito shutting it behind him.


End file.
